I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved manually powered hopping vehicle.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There have been a number of previously known hopping vehicles, commonly known as pogo sticks. Typically, these previously known pogo sticks comprise an elongated vertical frame having a lower end adapted to engage the ground while handle means are secured to the upper end of the frame.
The propulsion means for these previously known pogo sticks all operate in a similar manner and comprise a horizontal carriage member which is vertically slidably mounted to the pogo stick frame and has a pair of foot rests secured to it. The carriage member, however, is urged towards an upper position by a spring which compresses as the weight of the user is applied to the foot rest. In operation, the spring is reciprocally compressed and decompressed by the weight of the user applied to the foot rests and during the hopping action of the pogo stick.
One disadvantage of the previously known pogo sticks, however, is that the stiffness of the spring, and therefore, the propulsion power of the pogo stick is limited by the weight of the user as applied to the foot rests. Consequently, both the jumping height of the pogo stick and the maximum lineal distance obtainable between jumps is necessarily limited. For this reason, the previously known pogo sticks have been employed primarily as toys by youngsters and have not been considered as a serious transportation means.